Hong Kong unions sound alarm over domestic workers being underpaid, abused
By Wynna Wong
At least eight South Asian domestic helpers working in Hong Kong have been significantly underpaid over the past two years, with the most severe case receiving no money and no rest days for four months, two labour unions have said.
The Hong Kong Federation of Asian Domestic Workers Unions (FADW) and the Union of Nepalese Domestic Workers in Hong Kong (UNDW) also warned on Sunday the situation was severely under-reported and likely to be far worse.
The organisations said the migrant workers involved were all from South Asia, adding their employers rarely faced any legal consequences despite breaching Hong Kong’s Employment Ordinance.
“Many of the employers are from the same countries as [their employees], so they can communicate fine between themselves,” FADW chairwoman Phobsuk Gasing said.
“But the workers struggle to communicate with anyone else because they don’t speak English or Cantonese, so their employers can easily mistreat them [without consequence].”
The two groups said the most severe cases reported to them involved a helper who had received no salary or rest days for four months.
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By Wynna Wong
At least eight South Asian domestic helpers working in Hong Kong have been significantly underpaid over the past two years, with the most severe case receiving no money and no rest days for four months, two labour unions have said.
The Hong Kong Federation of Asian Domestic Workers Unions (FADW) and the Union of Nepalese Domestic Workers in Hong Kong (UNDW) also warned on Sunday the situation was severely under-reported and likely to be far worse.
The organisations said the migrant workers involved were all from South Asia, adding their employers rarely faced any legal consequences despite breaching Hong Kong’s Employment Ordinance.
“Many of the employers are from the same countries as [their employees], so they can communicate fine between themselves,” FADW chairwoman Phobsuk Gasing said.
“But the workers struggle to communicate with anyone else because they don’t speak English or Cantonese, so their employers can easily mistreat them [without consequence].”
The two groups said the most severe cases reported to them involved a helper who had received no salary or rest days for four months.
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Hong Kong Island hospitals may be reorganised to tackle population decline
By Emily Hung
Health authorities are considering reorganising public hospital services on Hong Kong Island to allow officials to move resources between facilities more efficiently as the area’s population declines.
Permanent Secretary for Health Thomas Chan Chung-ching said on Sunday the Hospital Authority’s restructuring plan was unrelated to the government’s budget deficit, which was expected to reach HK$100 billion (US$12.9 billion) this financial year.
“We have to clarify that we are not reviewing [the structure] because of the financial deficit. The population size of the Hong Kong East Cluster will decline, but that of the West Cluster will increase … the service demand will slightly shift to the western side,” he said, referring to two groups of hospitals on Hong Kong Island.
“After the restructuring, all the hospitals for complex or acute illnesses will still exist, and no residents will lose access to their usual hospital.”
The Hospital Authority, which runs the city’s public hospitals, organises its facilities into seven geographical “clusters”, with two on Hong Kong Island, two in the New Territories and three in Kowloon.
The Hong Kong Island clusters currently feature five hospitals that treat complex or acute illnesses: Queen Mary Hospital in Pok Fu Lam; Ruttonjee Hospital in Wan Chai; Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan; Grantham Hospital in Wong Chuk Hang; and St John Hospital in Cheung Chau.
Chan said the population on the island would decline to 1.2 million by 2041, which is about the service size of one cluster.
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By Emily Hung
Health authorities are considering reorganising public hospital services on Hong Kong Island to allow officials to move resources between facilities more efficiently as the area’s population declines.
Permanent Secretary for Health Thomas Chan Chung-ching said on Sunday the Hospital Authority’s restructuring plan was unrelated to the government’s budget deficit, which was expected to reach HK$100 billion (US$12.9 billion) this financial year.
“We have to clarify that we are not reviewing [the structure] because of the financial deficit. The population size of the Hong Kong East Cluster will decline, but that of the West Cluster will increase … the service demand will slightly shift to the western side,” he said, referring to two groups of hospitals on Hong Kong Island.
“After the restructuring, all the hospitals for complex or acute illnesses will still exist, and no residents will lose access to their usual hospital.”
The Hospital Authority, which runs the city’s public hospitals, organises its facilities into seven geographical “clusters”, with two on Hong Kong Island, two in the New Territories and three in Kowloon.
The Hong Kong Island clusters currently feature five hospitals that treat complex or acute illnesses: Queen Mary Hospital in Pok Fu Lam; Ruttonjee Hospital in Wan Chai; Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan; Grantham Hospital in Wong Chuk Hang; and St John Hospital in Cheung Chau.
Chan said the population on the island would decline to 1.2 million by 2041, which is about the service size of one cluster.
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Turkey will offer military training to Syria if new administration requests
By Reuters
The new administration in Syria should be given a chance to govern following their constructive messages, and Turkey stands ready to provide military training if such help is requested, Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler said.
Nato member Turkey backed the Syrian rebels who toppled President Bashar al-Assad last weekend, ending a 13-year civil war. Turkey reopened its embassy in Damascus on Saturday, two days after its intelligence chief visited the Syrian capital.
“In their first statement, the new administration that toppled Assad announced that it would respect all government institutions, the United Nations, and other international organisations,” Guler told reporters in Ankara in comments authorised for publication on Sunday.
“We think that we need to see what the new administration will do and to give them a chance.”
When asked whether Turkey was considering military cooperation with the new Syrian government, Guler said Ankara already had military cooperation and training agreements with many countries.
“[Turkey] is ready to provide the necessary support if the new administration requests it,” he added.
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By Reuters
The new administration in Syria should be given a chance to govern following their constructive messages, and Turkey stands ready to provide military training if such help is requested, Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler said.
Nato member Turkey backed the Syrian rebels who toppled President Bashar al-Assad last weekend, ending a 13-year civil war. Turkey reopened its embassy in Damascus on Saturday, two days after its intelligence chief visited the Syrian capital.
“In their first statement, the new administration that toppled Assad announced that it would respect all government institutions, the United Nations, and other international organisations,” Guler told reporters in Ankara in comments authorised for publication on Sunday.
“We think that we need to see what the new administration will do and to give them a chance.”
When asked whether Turkey was considering military cooperation with the new Syrian government, Guler said Ankara already had military cooperation and training agreements with many countries.
“[Turkey] is ready to provide the necessary support if the new administration requests it,” he added.
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China’s finance industry urged to better support tech innovation
By Kandy Wong
Technological innovation in China still has “much room for improvement” and the country needs financial support to develop new ideas, according to a prominent economist.
Tian Xuan, chairman of Tsinghua University’s national institute of financial research, said there is a particularly large gap with the United States.
He said nine out of the 10 biggest American firms by valuation were tech companies or funds that invested in technology.
In contrast China’s largest firm was the drinks maker Kweichow Moutai, followed by four state-owned banks. The battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology was the only tech-related firm in China’s top 10 by valuation.
Xuan also said that Apple was valued at US$3.5 trillion, “which is two times or more higher than our top 10’s total”.
He added: “The crux of the issue is that how can the financial sector help expedite technological innovation and push the development of new quality productive forces.”
He also said foreign investment should be encouraged, because a “healthy and open capital market is necessary for enhancing innovation”.
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By Kandy Wong
Technological innovation in China still has “much room for improvement” and the country needs financial support to develop new ideas, according to a prominent economist.
Tian Xuan, chairman of Tsinghua University’s national institute of financial research, said there is a particularly large gap with the United States.
He said nine out of the 10 biggest American firms by valuation were tech companies or funds that invested in technology.
In contrast China’s largest firm was the drinks maker Kweichow Moutai, followed by four state-owned banks. The battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology was the only tech-related firm in China’s top 10 by valuation.
Xuan also said that Apple was valued at US$3.5 trillion, “which is two times or more higher than our top 10’s total”.
He added: “The crux of the issue is that how can the financial sector help expedite technological innovation and push the development of new quality productive forces.”
He also said foreign investment should be encouraged, because a “healthy and open capital market is necessary for enhancing innovation”.
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Hong Kong’s Paul Chan calls for more prudent management of public finances
By Ng Kang-chung
Hong Kong’s financial secretary has stressed the need for more prudent management of public finances, noting the city’s economy is undergoing “structural adjustment” amid an uncertain global outlook, as he invited suggestions for his next budget.
But Paul Chan Mo-po also said the market sentiment had improved near the end of the year after Beijing rolled out favourable measures aimed at stabilising the city’s economy and boosting business.
In a blog post on Sunday, Chan announced that public consultation for the budget for 2025-26 was under way and that he hoped to better understand the public’s views so as to build consensus on the direction of the blueprint.
“Faced with the continued uncertainty of the external environment, the complex and fluid global political and economic situation, as well as the fact that Hong Kong’s economy is undergoing structural adjustment, we must manage our public finances more prudently,” he wrote.
The minister is expected to present his blueprint on February 26 next year.
Earlier this month, Chan doubled his estimate for the current financial year deficit to about HK$100 billion (US$12.86 billion), up from his original forecast in February of about HK$48 billion. The government has largely attributed the increase to the property market slump, which has reduced land sales and premiums.
The government earned just HK$3.7 billion in land premiums between April and October, representing 11.2 per cent of its target of HK$33 billion for the entire financial year.
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By Ng Kang-chung
Hong Kong’s financial secretary has stressed the need for more prudent management of public finances, noting the city’s economy is undergoing “structural adjustment” amid an uncertain global outlook, as he invited suggestions for his next budget.
But Paul Chan Mo-po also said the market sentiment had improved near the end of the year after Beijing rolled out favourable measures aimed at stabilising the city’s economy and boosting business.
In a blog post on Sunday, Chan announced that public consultation for the budget for 2025-26 was under way and that he hoped to better understand the public’s views so as to build consensus on the direction of the blueprint.
“Faced with the continued uncertainty of the external environment, the complex and fluid global political and economic situation, as well as the fact that Hong Kong’s economy is undergoing structural adjustment, we must manage our public finances more prudently,” he wrote.
The minister is expected to present his blueprint on February 26 next year.
Earlier this month, Chan doubled his estimate for the current financial year deficit to about HK$100 billion (US$12.86 billion), up from his original forecast in February of about HK$48 billion. The government has largely attributed the increase to the property market slump, which has reduced land sales and premiums.
The government earned just HK$3.7 billion in land premiums between April and October, representing 11.2 per cent of its target of HK$33 billion for the entire financial year.
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India loses a key Kashmir ally with fall of Syria’s Assad
By Maria Siow
For India, the upheaval in Syria marks the loss of what analysts call a crucial Islamic “voice of support” on one of its thorniest issues: Kashmir.
While New Delhi has long maintained that the Kashmir dispute is a bilateral matter between itself and Pakistan, Syria’s consistent backing at the United Nations and elsewhere was seen as a quiet but significant win.
“This voice of support from within the Arab Islamic world was important,” said Kabir Taneja, a Middle East expert and deputy director at the Observer Research Foundation think tank in Delhi. Under Bashar al-Assad, Syria had repeatedly affirmed that Kashmir was an internal matter for India to settle itself without outside interference.
Now, with Assad gone, the future of that support is uncertain.
Opposition forces seized the Syrian capital last weekend, forcing Assad to flee and ending his family’s decades-long rule over a country that had been torn apart by a civil war that killed over half a million people and displaced millions more.
The dramatic turn of events took Delhi by surprise, according to Indian media reports. India had hosted a delegation of Syrian officials just weeks before.
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By Maria Siow
For India, the upheaval in Syria marks the loss of what analysts call a crucial Islamic “voice of support” on one of its thorniest issues: Kashmir.
While New Delhi has long maintained that the Kashmir dispute is a bilateral matter between itself and Pakistan, Syria’s consistent backing at the United Nations and elsewhere was seen as a quiet but significant win.
“This voice of support from within the Arab Islamic world was important,” said Kabir Taneja, a Middle East expert and deputy director at the Observer Research Foundation think tank in Delhi. Under Bashar al-Assad, Syria had repeatedly affirmed that Kashmir was an internal matter for India to settle itself without outside interference.
Now, with Assad gone, the future of that support is uncertain.
Opposition forces seized the Syrian capital last weekend, forcing Assad to flee and ending his family’s decades-long rule over a country that had been torn apart by a civil war that killed over half a million people and displaced millions more.
The dramatic turn of events took Delhi by surprise, according to Indian media reports. India had hosted a delegation of Syrian officials just weeks before.
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Hongkonger arrested in connection with 30 cases of car theft and break-ins
By Lo Hoi-ying
A Hongkonger has been arrested for allegedly breaking into vehicles, stealing cars and making off with HK$66,000 (US$8,490) worth of valuables in a string of cases.
Police said on Sunday the man was arrested in connection with 17 cases of breaking into cars and 13 of vehicle theft. The cases involved 26 urban taxis, three New Territories taxis and one passenger van.
Senior Inspector Tsoi Ting-kwong from Kowloon East division’s regional crime unit said officers found five master keys and an emergency window breaker on the man when they arrested him on Friday evening in Tsing Yi.
“The culprit would use a master key to unlock parked taxis or an emergency glass breaker to smash the window of the vehicle,” Tsoi said.
“In a matter of minutes, he would steal valuables such as cash and mobile phones.”
The suspect, who said he was unemployed, will be brought to Kwun Tong Court on Monday.
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By Lo Hoi-ying
A Hongkonger has been arrested for allegedly breaking into vehicles, stealing cars and making off with HK$66,000 (US$8,490) worth of valuables in a string of cases.
Police said on Sunday the man was arrested in connection with 17 cases of breaking into cars and 13 of vehicle theft. The cases involved 26 urban taxis, three New Territories taxis and one passenger van.
Senior Inspector Tsoi Ting-kwong from Kowloon East division’s regional crime unit said officers found five master keys and an emergency window breaker on the man when they arrested him on Friday evening in Tsing Yi.
“The culprit would use a master key to unlock parked taxis or an emergency glass breaker to smash the window of the vehicle,” Tsoi said.
“In a matter of minutes, he would steal valuables such as cash and mobile phones.”
The suspect, who said he was unemployed, will be brought to Kwun Tong Court on Monday.
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Bond sale shortfall, ballooning deficit early warning signs for Hong Kong
By Mike Rowse
News that there was insufficient demand from the public for government bonds in a recent sales exercise will have surprised many people. After all, government borrowings are just about the safest investment in an advanced economy like Hong Kong, and the amount being sought was modest.
This came soon after the admission by Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po that the deficit this financial year was likely to exceed HK$100 billion (US$12.8 billion), double his estimate in the budget. That meant raised eyebrows were definitely in order – Hong Kong’s reputation for fiscal prudence is clearly at risk.
The infrastructure bond sale was just HK$20 billion, but the public signed up for only HK$17.85 billion. The underwriters had to make up the balance. There might be pressure on the government to offer a higher interest rate on future bond sales.
In February’s budget, Chan had estimated a deficit of HK$48.1 billion for 2024-25 after taking into account anticipated bond sales of HK$120 billion. It is important to remember that bond sales are not revenue but debts that have to be repaid, so the total difference between revenue and expenditure was being estimated at more than HK$150 billion.
At a meeting of the Legislative Council’s financial affairs panel earlier this month, Chan admitted that government revenue for the year would be substantially less than forecast and, as a result, the deficit would exceed HK$100 billion after allowing for bond sales. A crude calculation therefore puts the unadjusted deficit at more than HK$200 billion.
These numbers are sobering. They will have been noted in general terms by the public but in particular by financial market professionals. The top levels of the administration also need to focus on the implications. Chan has already expressed a disinclination to raise taxes, which means the burden of bringing the accounts back into balance must be borne by cutting spending.
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By Mike Rowse
News that there was insufficient demand from the public for government bonds in a recent sales exercise will have surprised many people. After all, government borrowings are just about the safest investment in an advanced economy like Hong Kong, and the amount being sought was modest.
This came soon after the admission by Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po that the deficit this financial year was likely to exceed HK$100 billion (US$12.8 billion), double his estimate in the budget. That meant raised eyebrows were definitely in order – Hong Kong’s reputation for fiscal prudence is clearly at risk.
The infrastructure bond sale was just HK$20 billion, but the public signed up for only HK$17.85 billion. The underwriters had to make up the balance. There might be pressure on the government to offer a higher interest rate on future bond sales.
In February’s budget, Chan had estimated a deficit of HK$48.1 billion for 2024-25 after taking into account anticipated bond sales of HK$120 billion. It is important to remember that bond sales are not revenue but debts that have to be repaid, so the total difference between revenue and expenditure was being estimated at more than HK$150 billion.
At a meeting of the Legislative Council’s financial affairs panel earlier this month, Chan admitted that government revenue for the year would be substantially less than forecast and, as a result, the deficit would exceed HK$100 billion after allowing for bond sales. A crude calculation therefore puts the unadjusted deficit at more than HK$200 billion.
These numbers are sobering. They will have been noted in general terms by the public but in particular by financial market professionals. The top levels of the administration also need to focus on the implications. Chan has already expressed a disinclination to raise taxes, which means the burden of bringing the accounts back into balance must be borne by cutting spending.
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Last ‘Bali Nine’ prisoners back in Australia after 19 years
By Agence France-Presse
The five remaining members of the Australian “Bali Nine” drug ring flew home on Sunday after 19 years in jail in Indonesia, ending a saga that had frayed relations between the two countries.
Indonesian police arrested the nine Australians in 2005, convicting them of attempting to smuggle more than eight kilograms of heroin off the holiday island of Bali.
In a case that drew global attention to Indonesia’s unforgiving drug laws, two of the gang would eventually be executed by firing squad, while others served hefty prison sentences.
“The Australian Government can confirm that Australian citizens, Matthew Norman, Scott Rush, Martin Stephens, Si Yi Chen, and Michael Czugaj have returned to Australia,” Canberra said in a statement.
“The men will have the opportunity to continue their personal rehabilitation and reintegration in Australia.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the men returned in the afternoon, and he had thanked Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto for his “compassion”.
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By Agence France-Presse
The five remaining members of the Australian “Bali Nine” drug ring flew home on Sunday after 19 years in jail in Indonesia, ending a saga that had frayed relations between the two countries.
Indonesian police arrested the nine Australians in 2005, convicting them of attempting to smuggle more than eight kilograms of heroin off the holiday island of Bali.
In a case that drew global attention to Indonesia’s unforgiving drug laws, two of the gang would eventually be executed by firing squad, while others served hefty prison sentences.
“The Australian Government can confirm that Australian citizens, Matthew Norman, Scott Rush, Martin Stephens, Si Yi Chen, and Michael Czugaj have returned to Australia,” Canberra said in a statement.
“The men will have the opportunity to continue their personal rehabilitation and reintegration in Australia.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the men returned in the afternoon, and he had thanked Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto for his “compassion”.
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China urges schools to teach AI as tech war and ChatGPT drive demand for talent
By Jane Cai
China has urged its primary and secondary schools to add artificial intelligence to the curriculum as it moves to nurture young talent in the emerging field.
The Ministry of Education has asked the schools to improve AI education to “meet China’s future demand for innovative talent” and improve students’ digital skills and problem-solving abilities, according to a ministry circular released last week.
More than 500 Chinese universities and colleges have rolled out an AI major since 2018, a year after Beijing unveiled a plan to become the world leader in artificial intelligence.
China’s enthusiasm for artificial intelligence has grown amid its tech war with the US and as AI-powered chatbots such as ChatGPT have become a part of daily life.
The education ministry said AI courses should be launched “systematically” and included as a factor when evaluating schools.
Pupils in lower primary school should gain experience and develop basic ideas about AI, while those in higher grades should understand and learn to apply the technology. In senior high school, the focus should be on “innovative projects with the application of AI”, the circular states.
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By Jane Cai
China has urged its primary and secondary schools to add artificial intelligence to the curriculum as it moves to nurture young talent in the emerging field.
The Ministry of Education has asked the schools to improve AI education to “meet China’s future demand for innovative talent” and improve students’ digital skills and problem-solving abilities, according to a ministry circular released last week.
More than 500 Chinese universities and colleges have rolled out an AI major since 2018, a year after Beijing unveiled a plan to become the world leader in artificial intelligence.
China’s enthusiasm for artificial intelligence has grown amid its tech war with the US and as AI-powered chatbots such as ChatGPT have become a part of daily life.
The education ministry said AI courses should be launched “systematically” and included as a factor when evaluating schools.
Pupils in lower primary school should gain experience and develop basic ideas about AI, while those in higher grades should understand and learn to apply the technology. In senior high school, the focus should be on “innovative projects with the application of AI”, the circular states.
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Australia says ‘Bali Nine’ prisoners have returned home
By Agence France-Presse
The five remaining members of the Australian “Bali Nine” drug ring have returned home after 19 years in jail in Indonesia, the Australian government said Sunday.
Indonesian police arrested the nine Australians in 2005, convicting them of attempting to smuggle more than eight kilos of heroin off the holiday island of Bali.
In a case that drew global attention to Indonesia’s unforgiving drug laws, two of the gang would eventually be executed by firing squad, while others served hefty prison sentences.
“The Australian Government can confirm that Australian citizens, Matthew Norman, Scott Rush, Martin Stephens, Si Yi Chen, and Michael Czugaj have returned to Australia,” Canberra said in a statement.
“The men will have the opportunity to continue their personal rehabilitation and reintegration in Australia.”
Accused ringleaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were executed by firing squad in 2015 despite repeated pleas from the Australian government.
Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen died of cancer in 2018, months before Renae Lawrence was released after her sentence was commuted.
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By Agence France-Presse
The five remaining members of the Australian “Bali Nine” drug ring have returned home after 19 years in jail in Indonesia, the Australian government said Sunday.
Indonesian police arrested the nine Australians in 2005, convicting them of attempting to smuggle more than eight kilos of heroin off the holiday island of Bali.
In a case that drew global attention to Indonesia’s unforgiving drug laws, two of the gang would eventually be executed by firing squad, while others served hefty prison sentences.
“The Australian Government can confirm that Australian citizens, Matthew Norman, Scott Rush, Martin Stephens, Si Yi Chen, and Michael Czugaj have returned to Australia,” Canberra said in a statement.
“The men will have the opportunity to continue their personal rehabilitation and reintegration in Australia.”
Accused ringleaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were executed by firing squad in 2015 despite repeated pleas from the Australian government.
Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen died of cancer in 2018, months before Renae Lawrence was released after her sentence was commuted.
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Is Indonesian ‘kingmaker’ Joko Widodo planning a political comeback?
By Amy Sood
Despite having stepped down as Indonesia’s president, Joko Widodo continues to cast a large shadow over the country’s political arena as speculation mounts about his future including the possibility of him forming a party.
After handing the presidency to his successor Prabowo Subianto in October, Widodo returned to his hometown of Solo, seemingly ready to take a break from politics.
However, ahead of regional elections in November, Widodo re-emerged and actively campaigned for candidates linked to Prabowo’s grand Onward Indonesia Coalition (KIM).
In Central Java, Widodo was photographed riding a white, open-cabin jeep, joining a parade for Ahmad Luthfi, his preferred candidate who won the race to become the province’s governor. The ex-president reportedly distributed election T-shirts, including one that listed his achievements as a leader, to thousands of townspeople.
Wasisto Raharjo Jati, a political analyst with the Jakarta-based National Research and Innovation Agency, said the past few weeks have shown that “Jokowi remains influential,” referring to Widodo by his popular nickname.
“He was a kingmaker for some of the candidates who ended up winning,” Wasisto said. “He has the kind of popularity that can affect how people vote in polling stations.”
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By Amy Sood
Despite having stepped down as Indonesia’s president, Joko Widodo continues to cast a large shadow over the country’s political arena as speculation mounts about his future including the possibility of him forming a party.
After handing the presidency to his successor Prabowo Subianto in October, Widodo returned to his hometown of Solo, seemingly ready to take a break from politics.
However, ahead of regional elections in November, Widodo re-emerged and actively campaigned for candidates linked to Prabowo’s grand Onward Indonesia Coalition (KIM).
In Central Java, Widodo was photographed riding a white, open-cabin jeep, joining a parade for Ahmad Luthfi, his preferred candidate who won the race to become the province’s governor. The ex-president reportedly distributed election T-shirts, including one that listed his achievements as a leader, to thousands of townspeople.
Wasisto Raharjo Jati, a political analyst with the Jakarta-based National Research and Innovation Agency, said the past few weeks have shown that “Jokowi remains influential,” referring to Widodo by his popular nickname.
“He was a kingmaker for some of the candidates who ended up winning,” Wasisto said. “He has the kind of popularity that can affect how people vote in polling stations.”
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Hong Kong police arrest 2 men over thefts on planes arriving from Vietnam
By Jeffie Lam
Hong Kong police have arrested two men over one week for allegedly stealing cash from passengers’ overhead luggage on two inbound flights from Vietnam.
The force said on Saturday that the latest arrest had taken place on Friday and involved a 61-year-old man suspected of stealing 10 million Vietnamese dong, or about HK$3,060 (US$390), in cash from another passenger on a flight from Ho Chi Minh City.
The alleged victim had discovered his overhead bag had been taken and found the cash inside was missing after recovering his luggage.
Police officers were called to the scene and subsequently arrested the 61-year-old man after retrieving the missing cash from his luggage.
The suspect was still in custody as of Sunday. The police’s Lantau criminal investigation unit is following up on the case.
The force also arrested a 38-year-old man on Wednesday of last week for allegedly stealing US$4,500 from another passenger’s overhead bag on a flight from Da Nang.
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By Jeffie Lam
Hong Kong police have arrested two men over one week for allegedly stealing cash from passengers’ overhead luggage on two inbound flights from Vietnam.
The force said on Saturday that the latest arrest had taken place on Friday and involved a 61-year-old man suspected of stealing 10 million Vietnamese dong, or about HK$3,060 (US$390), in cash from another passenger on a flight from Ho Chi Minh City.
The alleged victim had discovered his overhead bag had been taken and found the cash inside was missing after recovering his luggage.
Police officers were called to the scene and subsequently arrested the 61-year-old man after retrieving the missing cash from his luggage.
The suspect was still in custody as of Sunday. The police’s Lantau criminal investigation unit is following up on the case.
The force also arrested a 38-year-old man on Wednesday of last week for allegedly stealing US$4,500 from another passenger’s overhead bag on a flight from Da Nang.
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How will Hungary’s Orban square the circle of ties with China and Trump?
By Finbarr Bermingham
Viktor Orban, the strongman Hungarian prime minister, ended his country’s helm at the six-month rotating EU presidency much as he started it: with a flurry of “peace mission” visits that earned him a stern rebuke from Ukraine.
On Monday, Orban was in Mar-a-Lago, US president-elect Donald Trump’s Florida residence, meeting Trump, business tycoon Elon Musk and other political figures. On Wednesday, he had a one-hour phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, for which he was scolded by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“No one should boost personal image at the expense of unity; everyone should focus on shared success,” Zelensky wrote on social media.
By Thursday, Orban was in the air again, off to Turkey to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to again promote his idea of a “Christmas ceasefire” for the war in Ukraine – a proposal that was roundly rejected by Kyiv.
The whirlwind week captured Orban’s self-styled policy of “economic neutrality”: he wants to remain in the good graces of superpowers to Hungary’s east and west, continuing a high-wire act he has performed for years.
“He’s an outlier as an EU and Nato member state that is in favour of Trump and a bit of a disruptive force Trump feels he can connect to. Through this, Hungary seems to be an important country beyond its significance in size and its economic might,” said Peter Kreko, director of Political Capital, a Hungarian policy research firm.
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By Finbarr Bermingham
Viktor Orban, the strongman Hungarian prime minister, ended his country’s helm at the six-month rotating EU presidency much as he started it: with a flurry of “peace mission” visits that earned him a stern rebuke from Ukraine.
On Monday, Orban was in Mar-a-Lago, US president-elect Donald Trump’s Florida residence, meeting Trump, business tycoon Elon Musk and other political figures. On Wednesday, he had a one-hour phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, for which he was scolded by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“No one should boost personal image at the expense of unity; everyone should focus on shared success,” Zelensky wrote on social media.
By Thursday, Orban was in the air again, off to Turkey to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to again promote his idea of a “Christmas ceasefire” for the war in Ukraine – a proposal that was roundly rejected by Kyiv.
The whirlwind week captured Orban’s self-styled policy of “economic neutrality”: he wants to remain in the good graces of superpowers to Hungary’s east and west, continuing a high-wire act he has performed for years.
“He’s an outlier as an EU and Nato member state that is in favour of Trump and a bit of a disruptive force Trump feels he can connect to. Through this, Hungary seems to be an important country beyond its significance in size and its economic might,” said Peter Kreko, director of Political Capital, a Hungarian policy research firm.
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